1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mowers and more particularly to an improved manner of mounting the engine, handle bar assembly, and height adjustment braces to the mower housing for reducing noise, shock and vibration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When using lawn and garden type vehicles, the desirability of minimizing noise due to vibrations as well as noise due to engine exhausts is becoming more and more apparent and certain governmental agencies have passed strict noise ordinances that must be complied with. Noise problems in such mowers are partially due to engine vibrations and vibrations or shocks which occur due to the vehicle being moved over rough ground. These vibrations and shocks, if not dampened, are transmitted to the rather large sheet metal or the like mower housing which tends to resonate thereby causing excessive noise.
It is also desirable, for the operator's convenience and comfort, to minimize the transmission of engine and ground induced vibrations and shocks to the operator. In prior art mowers, severe transverse shocks or jolts occur when a wheel on one side of the mower is abruptly raised or lowered, and such shocks are transmitted directly to the operator through the handle bar assembly. Such shocks frequently occur when the mower is used to mow grass in rough fields.
In accordance with the present invention, the above mentioned disadvantages of existing mowers have been minimized by merely isolating the engine, handle bar assembly and handle height adjustment braces from the housing or body of the mower with resilient shock mounts. In addition, the resilience in those shock mounts connecting the handle height adjustment braces to the handle bar assembly is used to aid in simply and economically maintain an adjustable pin and aperture connection between the handle bars and the height adjustment braces. The last mentioned shock mounts also allow considerable transverse floating of the mower housing relative to the upper end of the handle bar assembly as would occur when one side of the mower is abruptly raised or lowered relative to the other side.
It is of course recognized that resilient mounts are known per se for reducing vibrations in many different types of mechanisms. Such vibration mounts are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No 2,196,428 which issued to Saurer or Apr. 9, 1940 and discloses the use of resilient mounts to dampen vibrations between an engine and the frame of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 2,208,532 which issued of July 16, 1940 to Woodward illustrates similar shock mounts associated with other articles such as radios; while U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,100 which issued to McGee, Jr. on Apr. 28, 1959 discloses resilient sealing or shock fastening means for connecting corrugated sheathing together. U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,533 which issued to Harkness on Feb. 25, 1969 discloses horizontal vibration mounts or snubbers for vertical shaft engines such as used on mowers or the like; while U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,885 which issued to Cunningham on Jan. 25, 1972 discloses the use of similar shock mounts in the railroad vehicle environment.